Dollar Store Find

I MUCH prefer to use stainless or glass for cheese making, but this just looks so handy for scouping curds out of the pot and into the cheese cloth for draining that I had to buy it. It wll hold about 4 or so cups and is a perfect size for dipping into my 2 pots I use for cheese making. I'm betting it will be handy for scouping out the ricotta curds too!

Too bad the does are now dried up! As soon as those girls are bred they don't think I need to be "bothering" them. They have their own agendas! My agenda.....I'd so love to make some cheese with this and the new kit that came from New England Cheesemaking Supply and Chickens In The Road!

I'll be sharing lots of photos of that as soon as I get a few minutes to make sure I get them loaded in the right order.

I WON!

I won a drawing! And it wasn't just any ole average drawing either. It was a drawing that is "ME"! One couldn't have designed a drawing better suited for me unless it was for money, an appliance I need, a truck, a high class dairy goat or buck, etc. I'm also one of those folks who "never wins" anything - well hardly ever at all.


I think I posted about the cheese making going on over to Suzanne's Chickens In The Road blog/site ( www.chickensintheroad.com ). If not I will rememdy that soon! Anyway, Suzanne is blogging in conjunction with New England Cheesemaking Supply Company (www.cheesemaking.com ). They are the "go-to" site for all things cheese making such as supplies, cultures, etc. They have a wonderful website and newsletter too. They are supporting Suzanne's blogging with a give-away for some of her cheese making posts. This was was for Montery Jack Cheese and I WON the drawing! I am so so tickled! I'll be getting several items in the kit that I haven't been able to afford such as the special wax, their cultures, etc. There's a mold included, rennet, etc.

Like I said, this drawing is "me". I will now be able to make some hard cheeses! I'll also get to use some cultures too. I've always used cultured buttermilk and yogurt for my cheese making which works great, but isn't the same as the "official" cheese cultures. I can't wait to try some Gouda and guyere! Oh, and some Swiss and Monterey Jack and.....

I can't hardly believe I won, but it's been confirmed. It's TRUE! This is a drawing of a "life time"! Thank you so much to Suzanne at Chickens In The Road and New England Cheesemaking!!

Chicken In The Road - Cheese Making

I belong to a forum called Chickens In The Road. I love the group, it's grown considerably and gotten better and better. Suzanne McMinn owns and runs it. She's an author and it shows in her wonderful writing and blog posts. I'm sure you'd like it also.

Suzanne McMinn announced today that New England Cheesemaking Supply Company had spoken with her and she will now be doing more on cheese making in conjunction with them. Suzanne will be making a type of cheese each month. (She started with a couple dairy goats and now has a Jersey cow also.) There will also be give-aways of NECSC products! You can join both at these links and then you'll have 2 more EXCELLENT and RELIABLE resources. I highly recommend both!

Chickens In The Road
http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/behold-the-cheese/#comments

Sign up for NECSC's newsletter here but be sure to check the group out too! http://www.cheesemaking.com/cheesemakingnewsletters.html

I hope you'll check it out and find it as interesting and helpful as I have. Even if you aren't going to be making cheese, you'll still enjoy the group as there is a LOT there. Then come back and let me know what you thinkl!